Method for manufacturing elastomeric form liners using segments of tire tread

Abstract

Segments of tire tread are utilized as patterning elements to produce elastomeric form liners useful for creating designs on poured concrete structures. The segments of tire tread are arranged in the interior of an open-faced mold box, and liquified elastomeric material is poured into the mold box and allowed to solidify. An elastomeric form is then separated from the mold box. This form may be used itself as a form liner, but is preferably used as a mold to produce further generations of forms and form liners. The form liners are used to line the interior of a concrete form, and the tread patterns are thereby imparted to the surface of the resulting concrete structure.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A method of producing an elastomeric form liner useful for creating a design on a surface of a poured concrete structure, the method comprising the steps of: (a) cutting at least one tire tread segment having a first surface defining a geometric pattern of tread channels from a vehicle tire;   (b) positioning the tire tread segment in a mold box;   (c) pouring a liquid elastomeric material over the first surface of the tire tread segment and into the tread channels and allowing the elastomeric material to solidify in the mold box into an elastomeric form liner; and   (d) separating the elastomeric form liner from the tire tread segment.   
     
     
       2. The method of claim 1, comprising the additional step of applying a releasing agent to the tire tread segment before the pouring step. 
     
     
       3. The method of claim 2, comprising the additional step of removing undercutting from the form liner after said separating step. 
     
     
       4. A method of producing an elastomeric form liner useful for creating a design on the surface of a poured concrete structure, the method comprising the steps of: (a) cutting at least one tire tread segment having a first surface defining a geometric pattern of tread channels from a vehicle tire;   (b) positioning the tire tread segment in a first mold box;   (c) pouring a liquid elastomeric material over the tire tread segment and into the tread channels and allowing the elastomeric material to solidify in the first mold box into a first elastomeric form having an outer surface defining a negative of the first surface of the tire tread segment;   (d) separating the first elastomeric form from the tire tread segment; and   (e) using the first elastomeric form as a mold to produce the elastomeric form liner.   
     
     
       5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of using the first elastomeric form to prodouce the elastomeric form liner comprises the steps of: (i) positioning the first elastomeric form in a second mold box;   (ii) flowing a liquid elastomeric material over the outer surface of the first elastomeric form in the second mold box and allowing the elastomeric material to solidify into a second elastomeric form; and   (iii) separating the second elastomeric form liner from the first elastomeric form.   
     
     
       6. The method of claim 5, comprising the additional steps of applying a releasing agent to the tire tread segment before the first pouring step, and applying a releasing agent to the first elastomeric form prior to the second pouring step. 
     
     
       7. The method of claim 5, comprising the additional step of removing undercutting from the first elastomeric form after the first separating step. 
     
     
       8. The method of claim 4, wherein two or more tire tread segments derived from two or more vehicle tires are positioned in the mold box, such that the elastomeric form liner contains geometric tread patterns corresponding to both tire tread segments. 
     
     
       9. A method of producing an elastomeric form liner useful for creating a design on the surface of a poured concrete structure, the method comprising the steps of: (a) cutting at least one tire tread segment having a first surface defining a geometric pattern of tread channels from a vehicle tire;   (b) positioning the first tire tread segment in a first mold box;   (c) pouring a liquid elastomeric material over the first surface of the first tire tread segment and into the tread channels and llowing the elastomeric material to solidify in the first mold box into a first elastomeric form havinag an outer surface defining a negative of the first surface of the first tire tread segment;   (d) separating the first elastomeric form from the first tire tread segment;   (e) repeating steps (a)-(d) for a second tire tread segment having a second surface defining a geometric pattern of tread channels to produce a second elastomeric form having an outer surface defining a negative of the second surface of the second tire tread segment;   (f) positioning the first and secoand elastomeric forms in a second mold box;   (g) pouring liquid elastomeric material over the first and second elastomeric forms in the second mold box and allowing the elastomeric material to solidify into a third elastomeric form;   (h) separating the third elastomeric form from the first and second elastomeric forms; and   (i) using the third elastomeric form as a mold to produce the form liner.   
     
     
       10. The method of claim 9, comprising the additional step of applying a releasing agent to the tire tread before the first pouring step, and applying a releasing agent to each form prior to each subsequent pouring step. 
     
     
       11. The method of claim 9, comprising the additional step of removing undercutting from the first and second elastomeric forms after the separating steps for the respective forms.